Zen
Zen (real name Hyun Ryu) is one of the main characters available through the Casual Story in Mystic Messenger. Zen is a semi-successful actor/dancer/singer. He can come across as narcissistic about his looks, often posting selfies and exclaiming how handsome he is. However, while it may seem he cares about his appearance the most, he wants to be recognized and appreciated first and foremost for his career Personality On the surface, Zen is known for being a very eccentric and flirtatious character. He will often talk about his looks, praising and complimenting himself for how attractive he his, as well as how talented he is when it comes to singing and acting. Zen tends to compare others to himself when it comes to looks, frequently telling Yoosung to work out to look half as good as he does. Despite this, Zen can become very loyal and caring, especially to those he cares about. In conjunction, deep down Zen self doubts himself, wondering if people only see him for his looks, rather than his talents. He can be easily upset if something affects his career, almost entering a depressive state. He is known for pursuing larger and better musicals, offering up smaller ones or turning them down if the opportunity presents itself. Like many of the members, he has scars from his past which can't be forgotten. Appearance Zen is a tall young man with noticeable muscle tone due to regular training. He is 182cm (5' 11") tall and his weight is 75kg (165.3 pounds). He has silver-white long hair with short bangs falling slightly over his eyes, and his hair is tied in a low ponytail which reaches down his back. Zen's eyes are a pinkish-red and almond shaped. He is shown wearing multiple outfits, including a grey jacket with large buttons and a logo feature, a black turtleneck, tight fitting pants and black formal shoes. Background story Zen is the youngest son in his family, and lived with his mother, father and older brother. His family is described as being quite a conservative family, his parents being teachers and older brother working as a lawyer. During his younger years, he was harrassed by strangers as they followed him to touch him or take pictures of him. He would often be treated poorly by his parents, specifically his mother, who questioned who he got his looks from and frequently called him ugly, causing a rift between the two. Zen would often confide in his older brother, who would explain that his mother was only saying those things to 'protect him' from being used by others due to his handsome appearance. She also wanted him to think that he wasn't handsome, she feared he would follow the steps of other handsome guy, entertaining people and damaged the family name. As he entered middle school, Zen gained a boost in confidence due to his looks, and he began finding out his passion in acting and music, to which his mother strongly disagreed with, believing that he should have become a doctor or lawyer like his brother. During these years, he found out that his older brother had betrayed him, siding with his mother for him to drop his silly hobby and diligently study to become successful like him. Due to this, Zen dropped out of school and ran away from home, renting an apartment, barely surviving with the rent while working small jobs here and there. He also admitted that he even did 'bad things' to survive, including threatened people for money. After finishing work, he meets Rika, who has a bouquet of roses, and she praises him for his talents and states she's been watching him ever since his first musical appearance. Rika then persuades him to meet V and to get a photograph together, as well as telling him she knows someone who can help him become successful. He meets Jumin Han and instantly dislikes him, denying his offers. Later, Zen eventually joins the RFA. Casual Story SPOILERS AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION! When you start Zen's route, both Zen and yourself will become very close, which is apparent to the other members of RFA. Throughout the route until a day or two before the very end, Jaehee will be considerably against the idea of you and Zen being together due to the possibility of the relationship ruining his career. He will get offered a new and larger role to work with the famous Echo Girl. At some point Zen will sprain his ankle due to over-exertion from practising his new role, however, it heals within a day. After a couple days, Zen meets Echo Girl whilst buying Goldfish-Bread in front of his house. After mentioning multiple times for you to visit Zen to cheer him up, Jumin is able to set up a driver to take you to see him on the condition that you are able to convince Zen to do the cat commercial modelling. After you leave, Echo Girl will visit Zen at night and attempt to woo him, although he rejects her and sends her back to her manager. The next day, Echo Girl meets Jumin and threatens to ruin his career with drama, later meeting up with Zen with the same threat, resulting in her accusing Zen of sexually assaulting her and stating that Jumin Han is indeed homosexual. At some point near the end of Zen's route, Unknown is able to hack into the defence system of Rika's apartment and modifying the protection over the apartment, causing the apartment to explode if you leave, or any RFA members attempt to enter. He will later break into and enter the apartment. Depending on the ending, Zen will either be able to save you and allow you to stay at his place until the party, or you will be both kidnapped by Unknown. Normal Ending Zen delivers an honest speech to clear his name against Echo Girl's false claims about him Sexually Abusing her, but decides not to mention his relationship with you, keeping his private life separate from his work life. Bad Ending Like the rest of the main characters, Zen has three bad endings, and three bad relationship endings which occur if you did not get enough hearts / likeability points for Zen. Bad Story Ending 1 If the player chooses to be indifferent, or even hostile, towards Zen and the other RFA members, the player will encounter a bad ending on Day 7. When it's time for the player to leave Zen's apartment for the night, Zen refuses to let go of his feelings. Though upset at how the player treats him, this only fuels his desire to win her over. In the following chatroom, Jumin asks the player if she convinced Zen to star in his cat food commercial, as that was the original intent of the visit, to which the player curtly responds no. Jumin asks if she is acting indifferent on purpose, and she answers affirmatively. While Jumin doesn't oppose them having a relationship, he disapproves, as this interferes with the player's responsibility with planning the parties. At night, Zen urges the player to let him make love to her, saying that he will proceed even if she refuses. The next morning, Zen needs to prepare for an acting gig that he is co-starring with another actress. He takes the player's reaction as jealousy, amused, and reminds her that he affirmed his love for her last night. He promises to come home early to her. Zen is aware their relationship is toxic, but he wholly accepts it. Bad Story Ending 2 If the player chooses to be possessive over Zen and prioritizing themselves over anything else, they will encounter a bad ending on Day 9. Zen loses his reputation as an actor after delivering a weak speech, against Echo Girl's false claims of him sexually abusing her, on live television, without any evidence to back him up. He tells the player to wait for him until he can rebuild his career. Bad Story Ending 3 If the player chooses to suspect the RFA and mistrusts them to the point of not trusting Seven, they will obtain a bad ending on Day 10. Unknown kidnaps the player and Zen, converting the player to join Magenta and hypnotizing Zen to act for Magenta for the rest of his life. Bad Relationship Ending 1 If the player misses the majority of the chats or gives more hearts to other characters from Days 5-7 (indicating they don't care about Zen), they will encounter a bad ending on Day 7. After visiting Zen, the player decides to immediately go home. In the following chatroom, Jumin asks if the player convinced Zen to star in his cat food commercial, as that was the original intent of the visit. The player doesn't seem to remember that. Jumin says that while he understands the player has a busy life, she still need sto be active in the chatrooms in order to plan the parties together. Once the player reaches Rika's apartment, she opens the door to find Unknown inside, waiting. He is disappointed at the player's lack of dedication and resolves to find someone more suitable to running the parties. Because the player failed, he has no other choice than to forcefully take her to Magenta. Bad Relationship Ending 2 Bad Relationship Ending 3 Good Ending Zen announces to the guests and RFA members that he is in a relationship with you after delivering an honest speech to clear his name against Echo Girl's false claims of him sexually abusing her. After Ending Zen is a famous actor while Echo Girl's reputation has completely fallen down hill. You visit him during a set and it's implied you have been living with each other for two years and that you became his manager. It's unknown if you're married but can be implied due to the comment on how much he appreciates you being with him. Relationships Yoosung Yoosung is a good friend of Zen and both talk normally to each other. Zen often tries to help him to quit gaming so that Yoosung can find a girlfriend. Zen is a moralizer if this topic comes out and means it in a good way. It looks like Zen doesn't actually take Yoosung seriously but Zen gives him always the chance to him to show what he can. Zen even knows that Yoosung is jealous of his good looks. 707 Zen and 707 are as normal friends as Zen with Yoosung. Zen is even here a moralizer and tells 707 always so eat proper meals for his health. Zen describes him as a crazy boy who has talent in hacking. He doesn't understand how 707 adores cats like Jumin. But Zen knows that 707 isn't a bad guy and really takes care of him (which you can see in Yoosung's route as Zen lived for a short time with 707 and looked after 707's health and apartment). 707 is actually the one who got Zen famous by hacking into Youtube, and making one of Zen's videos like a virus to others. Jumin Han The connection between Zen and Jumin are not that well. Zen described Jumin often as a jerk and a trust fund kid who care about his money and can't do anything without his father or Jaehee. Zen tries to avoid him and doesn't like to talk to him. When both are talking to each other it often comes to a conflict in which Zen wants to be serious. Zen hates it how much Jumin provokes him with cats or his side of view about him. But Zen said one time that he never said he doesn't like Jumin as a person. Zen even says to us that we should just ignore Jumin. Nonetheless, it does not seem like Jumin dislikes Zen, having extended offers of jobs / sponsors to Zen. He even seems a little wounded by Zen's vehement refusal of his help. Zen eventually does warm up to Jumin in his route. Zen himself states that he understands that his dislike of Jumin is somewhat irrational as it is partially based on the fact that Jumin's personality resembled his brother. Jaehee Kang Being Zen's diehard fan, Jaehee cares about him a lot (and about him being in scandal as well). Zen also cares a lot of Jaehee, as he is often seen reprimanding Jumin for giving Jaehee a lot of work without rest and making her do things for him. At first, Zen doesn't believe that Jaehee is his fan, but only thought that Jaehee cares for him as fellow RFA members. His allergy to cats making him often sympathized with Jaehee regarding Jumin's ideas of cats. Rika He and Rika met 3 years ago. Zen is very grateful to Rika for recognizing his talent even when he was a complete no-name. V V rescued Zen when he was in a severe motorbike accident, and Zen is grateful to V for saving his life. He also one of the people who helped Zen gained his name, by taking photos of him (claiming it's only for "testing"). Elizabeth 3rd Zen and Elizabeth 3rd never interact with each other, and Zen claims that he doesn't want to. He is allergic to cats to the point that only talking about it will make him sneeze and seeing a photo of one will freak him out. Despite that, he stated that he doesn't hate Elizabeth 3rd. The spaceship reveals: * He took photos for his first audition on a white wall, instead of at a photo studio. * He was once offered a position in a vampire concept boy band. He would have said yes if it had been for a musical. * He owns a cheerleading uniform from a previous musical/show. * He is even more narcissistic than before thought. * He considers drinking local beer because it's cheaper. * He's never been in a fist fight with Jumin and wonders who's stronger. * He once walked onto stage without wearing underwear. * He goes through shampoo fast. * He believes that nothing feels better than sweating during dance rehersals. * He thinks that flared pants look cool in musicals. * He can play the piano. * He is insecure and has thoughts of running away from negativity. * He has considered dying his hair pink. * He doesn't like Ph.D Pepper. * He wonders if it would've been better of he were allergic to dogs. * "The Monster of the Opera" is a role that he would love to play. * "Jumin Han that jerk! Satan would love him! ****!" Trivia *His age is 24 in Korea due to East Asian age reckoning where a newborn baby is 1 year old already. **Despite his international age as 23, the English translation of the story events in-game still has his age stated as 24 years old. This also applies to other characters. *Zen is a smoker but he wants to quit. **His favorite cigarettes are from "Black Angel". *He has a fan club. *Zen's phone number is +82)10-9211-%#XZ *According to the RFA Orientation Guidebook: **His email is zen@cheritz.com **His special talents include playing the piano, dancing and singing. **His most used app is the camera. **He likes ice cold beer fresh from the fridge and lamb kebab, and dislikes strange food such as snails and fois gras. **He desires a girlfriend or a chance to act on a bigger stage. **His favourite quote is: "You don't see love with your eyes, you see it with your heart." **He has been in a love triangle both with two girls that were best friends. In the end, he turned them both down. **His ideal type are go-getters. **For a first date, he would like to go to a theater show and surprise his date with a bouquet of flowers. **With women, he often looks at their hands to determine the type of job they do. **V considers Zen to be one of his muses and is frustrated that Zen looks even more handsome in photos than he does in real life. *Zen has psychic dreams which often come true. *Zen once broke the fourth wall when in a conversation with the MC he mentioned about having a weird dream in which they all were just computers, programmed to say certain things. *He heals at an incredibly fast rate. It is noted by the RFA members that he has never caught a cold. *He debuted as a musical actor at a small theater company when he was 16 and gained some publicity through the musical 'Tei's Tea Leaf' when he was 19. *It is revealed in Casual Story, Day 1, that it's been 5 years since he last had a girlfriend. *It is possible he is albino, due to his eye color and unexplainable white hair. *Zen's love of motorcycles may be a slight reference from a popular 1974 book titled "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". *In a phone call, Zen reveals that he was unknowingly the cover model for the French magazine, "Vague." In same call, he states a game company is creating an elf character based himself and uses his name. **Vague is a parody of Vogue. Category:Casual Story Category:Characters Category:Male